Foldable ventilated metal awning



May 28, 1957 s. .B. RQSTONSKI FOLDABLE VENTILATED METAL AWNING 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 13, 1954 George B. Rosfons/ri INVENTOR.

BY M

May 28, 1957 a. ROSTONSKI FOLDABLE VENTILATED METAL AWNING 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 13, 1954 George B. Rosfons/ri INVENTOR.

BY W 3 AW May 28, 1957 e. B. ROSTONSKI FOLDABLE VENTILATED METAL mums I 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 13. 1954 George B. Ros Ions/r1 INVENTOR.

"Maw United States Patent FOLDABLE VENTILATED METAL AWNING George B. Rostonski,.East Sparta, Ohio, assignor of fifty percent to James P. Miller, Canton, Ohio Application September 13, 1954, Serial No. 455,476 3 Claims. (Cl. 160-483) This invention comprises" novel and useful improvements in a foldable ventilated metal awning and more specifically pertains to an improved ventilated metal awning construction. which is especially adapted for an improved and compact folding to facilitate transportation and storage of the same; and yet which will facilitate erection and assembly of the awning.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved metal awning which may be quickly and easily assembled into an erected position from a collapsible and compactly stored form for transportation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a collapsible metal, awning wherein substantially all fastening bolts, nuts and screws, are already inserted in or on the awning members to facilitate assembly of the awning.

Yet another important object of the invention is to provide a collapsible, foldable sheet metal awning in which the two end panels may be permanently attached to the roof panel and may be folded upon the same to facilitate a more compact storage of the awning.

Yet another important object of the invention is to provide an improved foldable and collapsible sheet metal awning having an improved valance construction and attachment of the same to the roof panel of the awning thereby, facilitating manufacture of the awning and its assembly and disassembly.

A still further very important object of the invention A is to provide a foldable and collapsible sheet metal awning having an improved construction whereby the same may be very compactly collapsed and folded fortransportation and storage of the awning; and whereby the assembling of the awning intoi'ts erected and operative position may be effected with a minimum of effort and time and by completely unskilled labor, as by the home owner himself. i These together with other objects and advantages which Will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which;

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the awning in its assembled and erected position;

Figure 2 is a view of the awning in its collapsed and stored position and indicates the relative position of the parts of the awning when the same is removed from its shipping carton by the home owner;

Figure 3' is a rear elevational view of the assembled awning of Figure 1, being taken from the left side of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail view taken upon an enlarged scale and showing certain details of the roof and valanced numbers of the awning, the view being taken in vertical transverse section;

Figure 5 is a vertical elevational view of one of the end panels of the awning; and

Figure 6 is a vertical longitudinal sectional detail view taken upon an enlarged scale substantially upon the 2,793,689 Patented May 28, 1957 2 plane indicated by the section line 6-6 of Figure l and showing the manner in which the end panel is secured to the roof panel and showing the ventilating construction of the end panel.

The collapsible and foldable awning forming the subject of this invention is illustrated as being fabricated from substantially rigid, relatively thin sheet material, although it will be understood that other suitable rigid materials may be employed as desired. The awning, as shown more clearly in Figure 1, comprises a roof panel 10 having a valance 12 formed by the lower end thereof, together with side panels 14, and a drip cap 16 is provided at the upper end of the same. It is the primary intent of this invention that an awning shall be provided wherein the side panels may be compactly folded upon the roof panel,

upon the underside of the same as shown in Figure 2, to

facilitate compact packaging of the awning for transportation and storage. I

As shown in the drawings, the roof panel 10 preferably comprises a plurality of top and bottom pans 18 and 20 respectively each of which comprises a channel member. The top and bottom pans are respectively inverted as will be readily apparent, with the downturned side walls of the top pans being disposed between the upturned side Walls of the bottom pans.

The valance 12 consists of the lower or end portion of the top and bottom pans of the top panel, this end portion or valance being adapted to be bent downwardly at a 45 angle as shown in Figures 1 and 4, to thus pro vide an integral valance for the awning.

Referring now to Figure 6 it will be seen that the two bottom pans at the opposite sides of the roof of the awning are of somewhatdifferent construction, and these in the drawings are designated by the numerals 22 and comprise starter pans for the series of pans forming the roof panel, and to, which the side panels 14. are secured. Referring specifically to Figure 6 it will be seen that the' starter pans 22 are provided at their outer edges with an inclined wall portion 24disposed at a 45 angle to the top surface of the starter pan, and also at a 45 angle to the vertical wall 26 which depends perpendicularly from the body portion of the starter pan.

The valance 12 is formed by the lower ends orend portions of the two sets, of pans, including the starter pans which make up the roof panel. The upper set of pans have their side walls provided with V-shaped notches 28 whereby the upper pans may be bent downwardly from the flat position of Figure 2' to the assembled positions of Figures 1 and 4. In a similar manner the upstanding side walls of the bottom set of pans 20 are slit as at 30 whereby these slits may open when the bottom pans are folded or bent downwardly.

As will be apparent from Figures 2, 3 and 4, there is provided a horizontally extending runner or batten 32 secured to the underside of the valance. This runner is preferably formed by a channel member having its panel leg portion faced towards the inside of the awning and With its fiat Web portion disposed flush against the end portions of the bottom pans 20 which constitute the valance. The end portions of the bottom pans are fixedly and rigidly secured through the runner 32 as by sets of metal screws 34. The portions of the runner lying beneath the upper set of pans are provided with vertically elongated slots 36 whereby the upper pans are secured to the runner in a novel manner. Thus, bolts 38 are secured to the end portions of the upper pans and are slidably received in the slots 36. When the end portions of the upper pans are bent down to form the valance twill, these bolts are free to move in the slots to permit such bending or folding of the ends of the upper pans. Upon being bent in the position shown in Figures land 4, the bolts are then tightened thereby locking the valance in its bent position. The runner thus serves the dual functions of bracing and rigidifying the lower ends of the upper and lower sets of pans forming the awning roof; and also serves as a'locking means to retain the valance in its properly bent position.

As shown best in Figure 5, the side panels 14 are preferably formed of a single sheet of material which has'an inclined upper edge disposed at the same angle as that of the inclination of the roof 10, with which the side panels cooperate. As will be more readily apparent from Figure 6, the upper edge of the end of the side panels is provided with an inclined flange 40 having at its upper end a flange 42, the flanges 40 and 42 being complementary to and cooperating with the adjacentsur faces of the portions 24 and 22. The side panels are secured to the top panel in a novel and improved manner to be subsequently set forth.

The side panels are provided with a plurality of vertical elongated ventilating slots 44 having their upper ends terminating just below the lower end of the portion 26 of the starter pan of the roof panel, as shown in Figure 6 to permit ventilation from beneath the awning through the ventilating slots 44.

In order to improve the appearance of the awning and also to prevent the free passage of rain and the like through the slots there are provided cover pans or cover strips 46. These members comprise channel members which are open at their top and bottom ends as shown in Figure 6 and which are secured to the side panels by means of rivets, screws or the like 48. The cover pans serve the joint functions of rigidifying or strengthening the thin sheet material of the side panels; of providing a partial closure for the slots 44 and produce therewith a chimney effect to facilitate ventilation of the space beneath the awning roofs; and further serve to impart an ornamental effect to the side panels.

If desired, the lower edge of the side panels may be notched or scalloped as at 50, preferably just below the slots at the cover pans for the slots, to further enhance the ornamental appeal of the awning.

At their rear or longer vertical edge the side panels are provided with lugs or bracket members 52, suitably apertured as at 54. These bracket members may be folded back as shown in Figure 3 and thus provide a means whereby the rear vertical edge of the side panels may be directly secured to a vertical supporting surface such as a wall or the like, not shown.

A novel and improved fastening means is provided for mounting the side panels upon the roof panel. For this purpose, the roof panel is provided with a headed fastener 56 such as a bolt or the like which is secured to and extends laterally from the vertical side wall 26 of the starter pan 22. Cooperating with the headed fasteners are L-shaped slots 58 formed in the upper edge of the side panels.

The slots 58 are provided with a longitudinal portion 60 which is disposed substantially parallel to the upper inclined edge of the side panels together with a perpendicular transverse slot 62 at one end of the slot portion 60. The L-shaped slot is received upon the fastener 56, below the head-of the same as will be readily apparent from a comparison of the showings in Figures 2, 4, 5 and 6. The arrangement is such that the side panels may be slid along the adjacent edge of the roof panels when a headed fastener 56 moves in the longitudinal portion 60 of the slot; whereby the end panels may be slid towards the valance and whereby, when the headed fastener 56 is disposed in the transverse slot 62, the end panels may be folded from the dotted line position shown in Figure 6 to the full line position shown therein, and thus between the erected position of Figure 4 and the folded position of Figure 2.

Suitable fasteners serve to retain the outer or front vertical edge of the side panel against the rear surface of the valance at the starter pan portion thereof, and thus prevent unintended backward sliding movement of the side panels upon the top panel.

The drip cap 16 preferably comprises an angle member having angularly disposed portions 70 and 72. The latter may be employed with any conventional mounting whereby the roof panel may be secured to a vertical supporting surface such as a wall or the like, not shown, while the flange 70 is secured as by screws or the like 74 to the top pans 18. The starter pans 22 are provided with elongated slots 76, shown in dotted lines in Figure l, and fasteners 78 carried by the flange 70 are received in the slots.

The awning is shipped in the folded position shown in Figure 2, to provide a compact package, with the roof panel 10 and the valance still in a straight unfolded or unbent position and with the runner 32 attached thereto but with the fasteners 38 released. Also included in the package is the drip cap 16, not shown in Figure 2. In order to assemble the awning, the valance portion 12 is bent about the notched portions 28 and 30. During this bending movement, the runner 32 which is rigidly secured to the bottom pans permits the fasteners 38 of the top pans to move in the slots during the bending operation. After the bending is completed, these fasteners 38 are tightened thereby locking the valance in its set position. The side panels 14 are then unfolded by turning the same to perpendicular positions with respect to the roof panel. During this unfolding, the transverse portion 62 of the slots 58 move across the fasteners 56 from the dotted line position shown in Figure 6 to the full line position shown therein. In this full line position, in which the side panels are perpendicular to the roof panel, the fastener 56 lies at the junction of the transverse end longitudinal portions 62 and 60 of the slots 58. When this position is reached, the panels may be then slid forwardly from the position of Figure 2 to the position of Figure 1. During this forward sliding movement, the longitudinal portion 60 of the slots travels across the fasteners 56. When the forward ends of the side panels abuts the valance, the fasteners 56 are tightened and other screw fasteners are employed to secure the adjacent ends of the side panels and the valance together, thereby providing a rigid assembly of the awning.

In disassembling, the reverse procedure is employed.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A foldable rigid awning including top and side panels, means mounting said side panels upon the ends of said top panel for folding movement between an erected position perpendicular to the surface of the top panel and a flat folded position and for sliding movement of the side panels upon the top panel when the former are in their erected position.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said monnting means includes headed fasteners extending from the sides of the top panel and the side panels have angulated slots slidably receiving said headed fasteners.

3. The combination of claim 1, wherein said mounting means includes headed fasteners extending from the sides of the top panel and the side panels have slots slidably receiving said headed fasteners, said slots having longitudinal portions limiting the side panels to sliding movement and transverse portions limiting the said side panels to folding movement.

(References on following page) UNITED STATES PATENTS Houseman Nov. 9, 1937 Hawley May 17, 1938 Lubring et a1. Mar. 15, 1949 6 Kadleck June 7, 1949 Rogers et a1. Sept. 25, 1951 Logan et a1. Dec. 18, 1951 Kurtz Aug. 11, 1953 Liberatore Oct. 6, 1953 

